The real Brockovich, who also attended Tuesday night's premiere, discovered a cover-up involving contaminated water which was causing devastating illnesses in the small Californian town of Hinkley.

The real Erin Brockovich with her husband

Along with her attorney, played by British actor Albert Finney in the film, Brockovich won justice for the community, and the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in US history - $333m (£208m).

Sex, Lies and Videotape director Steven Soderbergh is behind the movie, which opens in the US on 17 March.